Method and apparatus for wrapping and marking shank stiffeners



July 13, 1954 Filed Dec. 27., 1950 A. HAYNER 2,683,273 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR WRAPPING AND MARKING SHANK STIF'FENERS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 In van for Alex HQ ner' By his izfor-ne y July 13, 1954 A. HAYNER METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR WRAPPING AND MARKING SHANK STIFFENERS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 27, 1950 [nven for-- Alex :Hcz new 53 hzsA torney July 13, 1954 A. HAYNER METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR WRAPPING AND MARKING SHANK STIFFENERS Filed Dec. 27, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet I5 Inven for Alex Ha new form e y July 13, 1954 A. HAYNER 2,683,273

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR WRAPPING AND MARKING SHANK STIFFENERS A Filed Dec. 27, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 lnven for Alex Hay By his Attorn Patented July 13, 1954 UNITED STATES OFFICE METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR WRAPPING AND MARKING SHANK STIFFENERS Application December 27, 1950, Serial No. 202,852

4 Claims.

This invention relates to the taping of members such, for example, as shoe shank stiffeners and is herein illustrated in its application to apparatus for assembling a tape with a shank stiffener and to improved methods of assembling such members with a tape. While the invention is particularly applicable to the manufacture of taped shank stiffeners it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its scope to apparatus and methods employed in the manufacture of shank stiffeners but is applicable to apparatus and methods employed in taping other elements or articles of manufacture.

It is a usual practice in the manufacture of shoe shank stiifeners to apply a length of tape to a portion at least of the stiffener in order to prevent squeaking of the stiffener by rubbing action against the shoe soles in the flexing of the shoe, and in order to improve the attachment of the stifiener in the shoe bottom in shoe constructions in which adhesion is the sole or principal means for effecting such attachment. It has been the practice heretofore to identify shank stiffeners with the shoes in which they are to be employed by forming characters in an appropriate portion of the body of the stiffener, which is usually a rigid strip of steel. It has been found that the formation of such characters in the steel weakens it to such an extent that stiiieners frequently break in the wear of the shoe in the region where such characters are formed. This is particularly true in the case of taped stiffeners because the tape covers all but the heel portion of the stiffener and reduces the space available for the formation of characters to such an extent that in most cases a character is formed in the portion of the stiffener Where breakage most commonly occurs which is the portion underlying the breast face of the heel.

It is an object of the present invention to reduce the breakage of shank stifieners by providing in a tape applying apparatus means for printing characters on the tape instead of forming them in the stiffener itself.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a taped shank stiffener in which the identifying characters are easily legible by reason of the fact that they are printed on the tape instead of being formed in the stiffener.

More generally, it is an object of the invention to provide improved apparatus for assembling an adhesive tape with another member to produce an improved article of manufacture.

With these objects in view the invention in one aspect thereof consists in the provis on in apparatus for use in printing characters upon a tape and assembling the tape with another member to produce an improved article of manufacture, of means for printing characters with ink upon a tape, resilient means, herein illustrated as a layer of felt, for supporting the leading end por tion of a tape bearing characters applied by. the printing means, and means, herein illustrated as a member having an electric heating element incorporated therein, for drying the ink on the.

tape as the tape advances from the printing means and before it comes in contact with the supporting means thereby to prevent blurring of ink upon the tape by contact of wet ink on the tape with the supporting means. As herein illustrated the printing means comprises a type roll for applying characters to the tape and an ink roll arranged to bear against the type roll. In the illustrated organization the type roll and the ink roll are removably mounted on rotary bearings carried at the free ends of freely swinging arms which swing by gravity to bring the type roll into engagement with the tape which is also in the form of a roll removably mounted on a rotary bearing which turns on a fixed axis. Cooperating with the printing and drying means and the tape supporting means is means operable to sever the leading end portion of the tape from the remaining or body portion thereof after the leading end portion has been assembled with a member such, for example, as a shank stiffener.

The invention in another aspect thereof is not limited to apparatus including printing means but consists in a combination comprising resilient means for supporting the leading end portion of a length of tape for assembly with another member, and means for applying heat to a section of said tape adjacent to its leading end portion thereby to activate a coating of adhesive on the tape in order to improve its attachment to the shank stifiener.

In a further aspect thereof the invention comprises a method which consists in printing characters with ink upon a tape having on one side thereof a coating of adhesive which is activatable by the application of heat thereto, applying heat to the printed tape in order to dry the ink and to activate the adhesive, and resiliently supporting the leading end portion of the tape with its coated surface uppermost and with the adhesive in activated condition while a member such, for example, as a shank stiffener is brought to bear against the leading end portion of the tape. After pressing the member against the leading end portion of the tape the leading end portion is severed from the body portion of the tape and the severed end portion is wrapped about the member While the adhesive is in activated condition. In order to create a secure bond between the tape and the member pressure is applied tothe assembled tape and member after the performance of the wrapping operation.

ihe invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. l is a left side elevation of apparatus embodying the features of the. present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view in front elevation illustratin particularly the printing means;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view in front elevation illustrating the resilient memberfor supporting the leading end portion of the tape while the shank stiffener is assembled therewith;

Fig. 4 is afront, elevation similar toFigB illustrating the means for shearing oifthe leading. end portion of the tape;

Fig. 5 is a front elevation, illustrating mechanism for wrapping the tape about the shank stiffener and resilientrollsfor pressing the tape against the, stiffener after the Wrappin operation;

Fig. 6 is a. front elevation. showing the wrapping means as it appears at the completion of a wrap-ping operation;

Fig. '7 isaright side elevation illustrating the wrapping means and. the resilient rolls with the roll shaftsshown in sectionon the line VII.--VII of'Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is. a, plan, view, of a shank stiffener to which a tape has been applied, by the illustrated apparatus;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged cross section of a shank stiffener illustrating the position of the tape on the stiffener after the wrapping operation but before the operation of the pressure rolls; and

Fig. 10 isan enlarged cross section similar to Fig. 9 illustrating the .positionof'the tapeon the stiffener after the pressure rolls have operated thereon.

Referring to Fig; 1 the illustrated apparatus comprises printing mechanism mounted on a work bench and'operated-by drawing tape from a tape roll mounted relatively to the printing apparatus to print characters with ink upon the exposed surface ofthe upperportionof theroll. The tape is drawn forwardly from the roll over an electric heating unit to a resilientmember which supports the leading endportion ofthe tape while a steel shank stiffener is pressed against it. The-heating unit accelerates the drying of the ink on the tape so that there is no danger of blurring of the-ink by contact with the resilient supporting member. The tape has a coating of adhesive on one surface thereof which is activated, or rendered-moretaoky; by the heating unit. It will be understood that the tape roll is so mounted that-theeoatedsurface of the tape is uppermost as thetape proceeds from the roll to the tape supporting member. For severing the leading end. portion of the tape from the remaining portion thereof a treadle operated shearing member is arranged to act against a stationary shearing member to shear off the tape at a point adjacent to the end of the stiffener after the assembled stiffener and tape have been drawn forwardly to bring the'tape into its position relatively to the shearin member shown in Fig. 1.

For mounting the tape roll and the printing means a standard Ed is fixed to the upper surface of a bench 22. Referrin to Fig. 2 tape roli such, for example, as the roll 24 is reznovably mounted on two roller bearings 28 arranged on opposite sides of a spacer 28 and secured by a clamping. nut 3G to the reduced end portion of a knurled headed screw mounted in a tapped hole formed in the standard 2E and bosses 34 and 36 extending in opposite directions therefrom. The screw 32 is adjustable in the tapped hole to adjust the tape roll toward and from the standard in order-to bring it into predetermined relation: to a type rolltfi, the screw being secured in. adjusted position by a knurled locknut E8. Referring to Fig'., l; the iliustrated type roll is a rubber ring having a smooth inner surface which permits the ring to be removably mounted one; roller bearing Q2 carried by an arm i i freely mounted on a headed screw fixed in an car 43 projecting, upwardly from the rear portion of the standard 20. Referring to Fig. 2 the illus trated type roll, has. characters molded in its peripheral surface and arranged to bear against the upper surface of the tape roll As shown in Fig. 2 the arm bl is bent so that its free end portion is offset to. the left as seen in Fig. 2 in order to bring the type roll into position to engage the tape roll. Ink for the type roll is carried by. a felt ring iii!v attached to a wooden disc 55 (Fig. I) mounted onv a roller bearing 52 on the headed end. of a screw 54 fixed. in the-free end portion of an arm 5.8 freely mounted on the headed screw 46. The arm is bent slightly as shown in Fig. 2 to cause its end portion to be offset tov theleft in order to position the roll 58 in, registration with the type roll it will be understood that the type roll ispressed against the upper portion of the tape roll by the action of, gravity on. the arm M. and similarly the roll 5a is brought to bear. against the type roll by the action of gravity. on the arm 55.

While it is within the scope. of the present invention to use any suitable ink for printing characters on the tape I prefer to use a quick drying ink having aglycerine base for example, as the class of, ink, commonly employed in rubber stamp pads. Such ink has been found suitable for the printing operation performed by the "type roll 38' and its quick drying characteristic permits it to be driedsufflciently with the aid of the ill trated heating unit to prevent blurring of ink uponthe tape by contact of the ink, while still in wet condition, with the illustrated tape supporting member.

For applying heat to the tape as it is drawn away from the roll in order to accelerate the drying of'the fresh ink thereon and also to activate the coating of. cement on the tape electric heating means is incorporated in a table 5t (Fig. l) fixed to a bracket 69 secured to the rear por tion of a standard 52 fastened by screws 66 to the upper surface of the bench 22. The table is arranged to incline downwardly slightly toward the forward portion of the bench in order that its upper surface will be positioned in a plane substantially normal to the position of the tape as it proceeds from the roll forwardly to a resilient and deformable tape supporting member 66 where the leading end portion of the tape is assembled with a shank stiffness such, for ex-- ample, as the stiffener 68 illustrated in Figs. 1 and 8. In assembling the shank stiffener with the tape the operator holds the stiffener by its heel end portion and moves the forward portion of the stiffener downwardly onto the cement coated surface of the end portion of the tape positioned on the support 66. The operator applies sumcient downward pressure to the shank stiffener to insure cement attachment of the tape to the stiffener throughout the entire extent of their mutually contacting surfaces. As shown in Fig. 1 the portion of the stiffener which is attached to the tape is slightly curved. In order to facilitate the attachment of the stiffener to the tape the supporting member 65 yields sufficiently to the downward pressure of the stifiener to cause the tape to engage the then bottom surface of the stiffener throughout the greater part of its length. The substance of the tape supporting member is also resilient in character and, therefore, springs back to its normal shape shown in Fig. 1 after the downward pressure of the stiffener against the tape is relieved. In Fig. 3 the shank stiffener 63 is shown in its position relatively to the leading end portion of the tape and the tape supporting member 65 when downward pressure is being applied to the shank stiffener to effect adhesive attachment thereof to the tape, the leading end portion of the tape being identified by the numeral 16. The illustrated tape supporting member 66 is a piece of resilient felt which is recessed to receive the upper portion of the standard 62 and is clamped to the opposite side faces of the stan ard by plates 72 which have their rear end portions 14 inwardly offset and secured to the opposite side faces of the standard by screws 75. In order to assist the operator in locating the leading end portion of the tape centrally widthwise of the supporting member 66 the clamping plate 12 at the left side of the support has an arm 18 extending upwardly in contiguous relation to the left side of the supporting member and inwardly over the top of the supporting member, the end face of the arm providing a gage for the left edge of the leading portion of the tape.

After the shank stiffener is cement attached to the leading end portion of the tape, as above described, the assembled stiffener and tape are drawn forwardly into their position shown in Fig. 1 in which the leading portion of the tape is arranged to be severed from the body of the tape by mechanism now to be described, and the succeeding portion of the tape is positioned on the supporting member 66 for cement attachment to a shank stiffener similar to the stiffener 68. The illustrated means for severing the leading end portion of the tape comprises a fixed shear member 8t secured by screws $2 to the front face of the standard 82 and a swinging shear member 84 fixed to the forward end portion of a shaft 86 extending rearwardly through a bore in the shear member 80. The shear member 84 is held against the fixed shear member 89 by a spring 88 (Fig. 1) surrounding the shaft 8% and confined between the rear face of the shear member 89 and a nut $0 on the threaded end portion of the shaft. For actuating the shear member 84 a treadle 92 is pivotally mounted on a floor bracket es and is connected by means of a link 95 to a lever 98 pivotally mounted at its rear end on a bracket i630 secured to the bottom surface of the bench 22. The forward end of the lever 93 is connected by means of a link N32 to the shear member 84. The shear member is normally held in its retracted position shown in Figs. 1 and 4 by a spring HM the upper 6 end of which is anchored to a hook Hi6 projecting forwardly from a plate W8 secured to the standard 62 by a clamping screw i H). The lower end of the spring is anchored to an extension of a screw H2 which provides the pivotal connection of the lever 98 to the link I02.

Referring to Figs. 5 and 6 the marginal portions of the tape on the shank stiffener are wrapped about the stiffener by mechanism now to be described. A deformable member herein illustrated as a piece of sponge rubber H4 rectangular in cross section is bonded to a plate i is which has a dovetail structure formed on its bottom surface to provide for the mounting thereof on a head H8 having a complementally shaped structure in its upper surface. The plate I it is held against movement relatively to the head H3 by a latch mechanism illustrated in Fig. 7 comprising a latch bolt I20 fixed to a resilient arm [2! and arranged to register with an opening in the plate Ht when said plate is in its position shown in Fig. 7. The rear portion of the arm [2i is upwardly offset from the body portion of the arm and secured to the head H8 by a screw I23. To facilitate the assembly of the plate 1 A6, with the sponge rubber-member attached thereto, on the head H8 the bottom surface of the plate is provided with a bevel 25 at its rear margin. It will be understood that the beveled surface of the plate cams the latch bolt downwardly to permit the assembly of the plate on the head H8. The arm I2! is extended forwardly beyond the head H8 to facilitate downward movement of the latch bolt :20 to permit removal of the plate from the head when it is desired to remove the sponge rubber member HQ and mount another such member in its place. As shown in Fig. 5, the sponge rubber member is provided with ,a groove or channel I22.

in its upper surface which is substantially the same width as the narrow portion of the shank stiffener 68. The depth of the groove is slightly greater than the width of the opposite marginal portions of the tape projecting upwardlyfrom the opposite side edges of the shank stiffener and lying against the walls of the groove l22..

In order to wrap the opposite marginal portions of the tape about the stiffener the sponge rubber member is deformed as shown in Fig. 6. In its deformed condition the opposite walls of the groove in the sponge rubber member extend inwardly over the shank stiffener and press the marginal portions of the tape against the margins of the stiffener. Preferably the margins of the tape are wide enough to overlap one another along the longitudinal axis of the stifiener as shown in Fig. 6. The head i it is fixed to the upper end of a vertical shaft M which is moved downwardly by mechanism to be described in order to cause fixed cam members lZEi to act on presser members i228 to deform the sponge rubber member. The illustrated presser members are hinged on pins E3 the opposite side margins of the head H8. The illustrated presser members are hollow elements generally triangular in cross section with the base of the triangle at the upper extremity of the presser member and the vertex at the hinging point. In its rest position, as shown in Fig. 5, each presser member has its inner surface :32 arranged vertically and in parallel relation to the side wall of the sponge rubber member, and its outer surface I34 inclined outwardly and bearing against the beveled surfaces I36 (Fig. 6) of the cam members I26. Dur

aeeaave:

ing the downward: movementof the shaft I24 the cam members act against the outer surfaces 53% of: the: presser. members swinging said members inwardly toward each other from their position inFig; 5 to theirrposition illustrated in Fig. 6. The illustrated cam. members are the upwardly extending arms of a U-shaped member having its. base portion 533 fixed to the upper surface of; a" bracket M0. by screws M2. mounted for sliding movements in a bore extending through the bracket I43 and the base I38 of the U-shaped. member and has fixed to its lowerend a yoke M4 which carries a cross pin I45; As shown in Fig. 7 the cross pin extends through a slot 243 in the forward portion of a lever I58. mounted in the yoke. The lever {5c is. fulcrumed at the lower end of a bracket H52 bolted to the bottom surface of the bench 22 and is urged upwardly" by a spring {5% the lower end of which isanchored to the lever and the upper end to a hook i155 fixed to a vertical portion 53 of the bracke 2%; The lever is moved. downwardly in order to impart like movement to-the shaftv E24 by a cam Hit fixed to a power-driven shaft 552 and arranged to engage a roll 56. pivotally mounted in the bifurcated upper end portion of a sliding shaft i655 mounted in a bore formed in the vertical portion 58 of the bracket. The bifurcated lower end portion of. the slide carries a cross pin IE8 which operates in a slot I'm. formed in the lever i553 approximately. midway between its ends. To provide for the mounting of the bracket Mt. it has a flange- !12 extending. rearwardly and laterally from the upper extremity of. its vertical portion. 558, said flange being drilled. to receive bolts fit which secure the bracketto the bench 22..

In order to cause the. tape to. be forced into.-

the, groove the. shank. stiffener and securely bonded to the stiffener. throughout the. entire extent of their mutually contacting surfaces a cylindrical rubber r011 H5 is fixedv to the shaft.

162. and. a like roll l'ifiis fixed tothe shaft its which is power driven in the opposite direction toy and at that samespeed as the shaft l52. The two shafts i522 and 5 89 are mounted in fixed bearings and have no movement vertically relatively to each other. The rolls H6 and W8 are sufliciently resilient to permit the deformation thereof required for the passage between them of the assembled shank stiffener and tape as shown in Fig. '7, but have sufficientresistance to such deformation to cause heavy pressure to be applied to the tape surrounding the stiffener as the assembly passes through the line oftangency of the rolls.

The shafts Hi2 and E89 are continuously driven in opposite directions such that the upper roll H8- is rotated in a counterclockwise direction as seen in Fig. '7 while the lower roll H6 is rotated in a clockwise direction. The shaft I62 also imparts continuous rotation to the cam Hit which actuates the mechanism hereinbefore described for deforming the sponge rubber member I M in orderto wrap the tape about the shank stiffener. The speed of rotation of the shaft U52 is such that the operator has no difficulty in inserting the shank stiffener with the tape assembled thereon into the groove 22 in the sponge rubber member while said member is in its normal or undeformed condition shown in Fig. 5. Upon the completion of the upward movement of the spongerubber member after the tape is wrapped about the stiffener the operator has sufficient timeto. remove. the: assembly from the sponge The shaft l24 istent of their mutually contacting surfaces.

8; rubber member before said member begins its next downward movement.

In the operation of the illustrated apparatus the operator grasps a shank stiffener such, for example, as the stiffener fifi illustrated in Fig; .8 by its heel end portion and holds thestiflener in a generally horizontal position with its convex surface uppermost as shown in Fig. 7. The stiffener is so positioned lengthwise thereof relatively to the leading end portionof the tape on the supporting member 66 (Fig. D'that the terminal edge of the tape is located relatively to the stiffener approximately as shown in Fig. 8. The operator then presses the stiffener downwardly against the adhesive coated upper surface of the tape with sufficient force to cause the tape to be brought into adhesive engagement with the bottom surface of the stiffener throughout the entire ex- The operator then drawsthe shank stiffener with the tape attached thereto forwardly into its position shown in Fig. l and then depresses the treadle 82 in order to actuatethe shear member as to sever that portion of the tape attached to thestiffener from the. remaining or body portion of the tape. The forward. portion of the shank stiffener with the tape attached thereto is then inserted into the groove $22: (Fig. 5) of the sponge rubber member l M while saidmember'is at the limit of its upward movement; During its succeeding downwardmovementthe sponge rubber member is'deformed as: shown in Fig. 6 thereby wrapping the opposite marginal portions of the tape about the. stiffener and causing saidmargins to be overlapped upon each other as shown in Fig. 6; The

sponge rubber member'applies sufficient'pressure tot-he marginalportions of thetape to cause them to'beretainedby adhesion in their positionshown in Figs. 6 and 9'when the" operator removes the assembly from the sponge rubber member after it returnsto its elevated position shown in Fig. 5. The operator: then inserts the stiffener with the tape thereon between the rotating rolls iii; and

1-7-8 and the assembly is advanced through the r Under'suchcircumstances a recoil force is created which .tends' tocause a reverse rotation of the tape roll after the leading end portion is severed causing ittto draw the leading endportion of'the tape rearwardly asmuch as two inches thus requiring the operator to locate the leading end portion of the tape relatively to the tape supporting member 65 before bringing the shank stiffener into contact with the tape. In order to prevent such reverse movement of the tape roll a brake member is [82' (Fig. 1) is pivotally mounted on the headed portion of a screw I84 projecting from the enlarged base portion l86' of the standard 253. The illustrated brake member is a horizontal arm having an upwardly inclined end portion which terminates in a point. The pointed end of the arm is brought to bear against the tape roll with relatively light pressure by a torsion spring {83 which, as shown in 'Fig. 2, is wound about the headed end portion of the screw I84 and has one leg 590 anchored to the arm I82 and the other leg I92 set into a notch in the head of the screw I84. The free end portion of the arm I82 is directed upwardly with a forward inclination and consequently any recoil force acting on the roll and tending to cause the roll to turn in a clockwise direction, as seen in Fig. 1, causes the pointed end of the arm to penetrate the roll sufficiently to prevent any considerable recoil movement. In the case of tape rolls that are lightly wound the tape comes ofi' the roll under a relatively light pull and consequently there is no recoil action of any consequence. If desired the arm I82 may be retracted when a lightly wound roll is being used and may be held in retracted position by a knurled headed pin I94 (Fig. 2) mounted in a bore in a boss I98 formed in a downwardly extending end portion I98 of the arm and arranged to register with a socket 209 formed in the base portion I88 of the standard 20.

When it is desired to assemble shank stiifeners with a tape having no characters printed thereon the arm 59 is swung in a counterclockwise direction as seen in Fig. 1 into a position in which the arm is held against downward movement by the engagement of an ear 202 projecting from the hub of the arm with a pin 204 projecting laterally from the forward portion of the ear 48, and the arm 84 which carries the type roll is swung in a counterclockwise direction from its position in Fig. 1 into a position in which it is held against downward movement by the engagement of the type roll 38 with the ink roll 59.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Apparatus for use in assembling a tape with a shank stiffener at an assembling station, having, in combination, means for rotatably supporting a roll of tape, a table having an upper surface for supporting tape drawn from the roll, means for applying heat to the tape as it is fed across the upper surface of said table for softening adhesive and drying ink on said tape, a resilient support at the end of said table having its upper surface position higher than the upper surface of said table for yieldingly urging the leading end portion of the tape into engagement with the bottom of a shank stiffener placed thereon to insure cement attachment of the tape to the stiffener, and tape cutting means at the end of said resilient support for severingthe assembled leading end portion of the tape from the succeeding portion of the tape positoned on the upper surface of said resilient support after the assembled tape and stiffener are moved forwardly of said cutting means. a

2. Apparatus for use in assembling a tape with a shankstiifener at anassembling station, having, in combination, means for rotatably supporting a roll of tape, means for preventing rotation of theroll in a direction to wind the tape on the 'roll, a table having an upper surface for supforward edge of said table, and a resilient support mounted between the end of said table and said cutter having its upper surface positioned the succeeding portion positioned on the upper surface of said resilient support after the assembled tape and stiffener are drawn forwardly of said support and said cutter.

3. Apparatus for use in applying characters to an adhesive tape and assembling the tape with a shank stiffener at an assembling station, having, in combination, means for rotatably supporting a roll of tape, a table having an upper surface for supporting tape fed from the roll, means for applying heat to the tape as it is fed across the upper surface of said table for softening adhesive and drying ink on said tape, tape cutting means including a fixed cutter spaced from the end of the table in the direction of feed of the tape, and a resilient support mounted in the space between said cutter and said table with its upper surface positioned higher than said cutter and the upper surface of said table for yieldingly urging the leading end portion of the tape into engagement with the bottom of a shank stiffener placed thereon to insure cement attachment of the tape to the stiffener, said tape cutting means being arranged for severing the assembled leading end portion of the tape from the succeeding end portion of the tape positioned on the upper surface of said resilient support after the assembled tape and stiffener are moved forwardly of said support and cutter.

' 4. Apparatus for use in assembling of tape with a shank stiffener at an assembling station having, in combination, means for rotatably supporting a roll of tape, a brake arm having its free end pointed for engagement with the periphery of a roll of tape on said means arranged to prevent rotation of the roll in a direction to Wind the tape on the roll While permitting the roll to rotate freely in the opposite direction, a table having an upper surface for supporting tape drawn from the roll, tape cutting means including a fixed cutter spaced from the forward edge of said table, and a resilient support mounted between the end of said table and said cutter having its upper surface positioned higher than said fixed cutter and the upper surface of said table for yieldingly urging the leading end portion of the tape into engagement with the bottom of a shank stiffener placed thereon to insure cement attachment of the tape to the stiffener, said cutter being arranged to sever the assembled leading end portion of the tape from the succeeding portion positioned on the upper surface of said resilient support after the assembled tape and stiffener are drawn forwardly of said support.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,308,380 Tweedy July 1, 1919 1,387,941 Petri Aug. 16, 1921 1,505,398 McEachron Aug. 19, 1924 1,529,130 Inman Mar. 10, 1925 1,831,624 Francoise Nov. 10, 1932 1,899,591 Segar Feb. 28, 1933 1,968,881 Edwards Aug. 7-, 1934 2,001,031 Landt May 14, 1935 2,232,729 Randolph Feb. 25, 1941 2,328,695 Ushakoff Sept. 7, 1943 2,350,244 Malhiot May 30, 1944 2,518,189 Sadler i Aug. 8, 1950 2,590,239 Elsman Mar. 25,1952

Critchlow et a1. June 3, 1952 

